Each year, FGC’s Ministry on Racism Program sponsors opportunities in the Spring and Fall for Friends of Color and their families to come together to build multigenerational community through:
- Mutual support and sharing
- Worship
- Exploring our Faith
- Sharing what brought us to Friends
- Identifying ways to support each other
Previous retreats have been held in upstate New York, the Philadelphia area, Washington DC, Chicago, and California. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry on Racism has held virtual retreats for Friends of Color over Zoom — one in April 2020, two in October and November of 2020, and one in March 2021. Since 2021 all retreats hosted by the Ministry on Racism have had virtual access- being primarily Hybrid with some online only retreats. See FGC Pandemic Policy here.
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All FGC Virtual Friend of Color Retreats no longer are using the pay as led system since it was not covering our costs. For us to continue to provide these events we need to bring in some income and the pay as led model was not sustainable for our programming.
For financial assistance to attend a hybrid or in-person FGC Friend of Color retreat, FGC offers funding for Friends of Color from the USA, Canada and Mexico through the Bayard Rustin Fund (for travel) and Mahala Ashley Dickerson fund (for related costs like registration, lodging, meals). If you fit the fund criteria and would like to request funding from either fund please fill out the above linked form.
We would appreciate any donations to FGC to support these Friend of Color retreats. You can donate here and specify your donation should go to Ministry on Racism– to help the organization pay for the staff time that goes into putting them together OR specify your donation go to the Mahala Ashley Dickerson Fund– to support the attendance of Friends of Color who could not afford to attend without financial assistance. Thank you.
Hybrid 2023 Fall Retreat for Friends of Color
November 3-5th, 2023
The Fall retreat for Friends of Color will be a hybrid retreat, with both in-person and online offerings.
The in-person portion will be held at Pendle Hill in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.
Deadline for in-person registration is September 15th, deadline for virtual registration is October 20th.
Hybrid Spring Retreat for Friends of Color
May 19-21, 2023
The Spring retreat for Friends of Color will be a hybrid retreat, with both in-person and online offerings.
The in-person portion will be held at the Casa- Franciscal Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Deadline for in-person registration is April 15th, deadline for virtual registration is May 1st.
Interracial Couples Virtual Retreat
“Celebrating who we are and awakening to the possibility of who we can become”
March 24-26
This retreat is intended for interracial couples to build community and connect. Friends of color who are a part of an interracial relationship are welcome to attend with or without their partners. Friends of color who have previous experience in an interracial relationship are also welcome to attend.
Adult Fall Hybrid Retreat for Friends of Color
“Sankofa: Reaching Back to Reclaim and Revive what was Stolen“
Friday, November 4th – Sunday, November 6th, 2022
Deadline for in-person registration is October 21st, deadline for virtual registration is October 28th
In person details: The retreat will be held at Penn Center on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Lodging and meals are included in the in-person registration fee. Penn Center has one handicap room that will be first come first serve based one registration time. To learn more about the Gullah GeeChee people that are from the region please click here for a video or click here to read more.
Our November retreat will have sessions Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. We’re excited to see you whether that be in-person or online!
Rough Schedule (all times are in EDT):
Friday, November 4th :
8:00 – 9:30 PM
Saturday, November 5th :
2:00 – 3:30 PM
4:30 – 6:00 PM
8:00 – 9:30 PM
9:30 – 11 PM (optional)
Sunday, November 6th :
2:00 – 3:30 PM
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Spring Hybrid Retreat for Friends of Color
“Rest as a Revolutionary Act”
Friday, May 13th – Sunday, May 15th, 2022
This retreat will be hybrid for Friends who cannot make it to the retreat in person, we plan to hold our in person portion of the Spring Retreat for Friends of Color at Menucha Retreat Center outside of Portland, Oregon.
We are urging Friends of Color to register early. We have officially decided that we will be holding this retreat hybrid with both in-person and online offerings! Deadline for in-person registration is April 18th, deadline for virtual registration is May 9th.
If you are considering attending in person please look over FGC’s COVID Policy as we will be following it throughout the retreat.
If you have any further questions please feel free to reach out to Linnea via ministryonracismassistant@fgcquaker.org
Schedule (all times are PDT):
Friday, May 13th:
8-9pm
Saturday, May 14th:
7-8am
9-11:30am
1-5:30pm
7-9pm
Sunday, May 15th:
7-8am
9-11:30am